The Deal with the Devil
by IlluminatedShadow
Summary: Don’t you know what happens when you try to hold onto your power by appointing a pawn instead of someone deserving' the voice was like flowing honey on shards of glass 'People get hurt.'


Huzzah! Another one-shot. This one has been sitting around.

Warnings: OOCness and over-dramatization. (my screen-name should be OOCwritr.) Spoilers for after the Chuunin exams. There is really only one pairing (the one I hate with a fiery passion) A few bad words.

I dont know how to categorize this fic.

Kyuubi makes an appearance. Gotta love pyscho foxes who could squish you without even trying.

Disclaimer: Read my fics. Then, imagine if I owned Naruto. Scary though, eh?

Hope you enjoy. Please review. Remember, you can flame me, but give a reason and try to spice them up. Spicy flames go good with barbeque. (I'll use the flames to light my grill so I can make hamburgers. Or veggie burgers. They're not too bad.)

C-Chan: Get on with it.-grumbles- idiot.

* * *

"_Why is _he_ still alive?"_

"_He should be dead."_

"_He could release that beast at any moment."_

"_He's a monster."_

"_Stay away from him, Ryo. He's dangerous."_

"_Demon."_

Naruto lay still on his bed, the cutting remarks of the day biting deeper and deeper. He sat up, his covers sliding down to pool around his narrow waist. Sighing, Naruto turned to look out his window. The full moon outside illuminated his entire room in an eerie silver glow.

"17 years. It's been 17 years. You'd think they would have learned to accept me by now." He thought, thinking of the townspeople.

"**_Hate runs deep within humans, kit. Especially in the old generation. They continue to spread the hate flowing through their veins."_**

"I know. But, I had hoped…" Naruto trailed off.

"_**Foolish kit. You are nothing to these people! You know they hate you. Yet, you continue to fight for them! You kill for them!"**_

"I thought you enjoyed killing, Kyuubi."

" **_I love to feel the warmth of the blood of my victims. To see their horrified faces, as their life drains away. To feel their heart beats increased by fear as soon as they face me. I don't just enjoy killing, kit, I need to kill."_**

"To make you feel strong." It wasn't a question.

"**_Everyone wants to feel strong. Everyone wants the power strength gives. You have the power kit, you can do anything. But, you must first sever your ties to this village. After that, and only after that, you can reach your full potential."_**

"In other words, I should be the human equivalent of you?"

"_**Would that be so bad?"**_

"Yes. I refuse to become like you. I'm not going to kill for the hell of it. I'm going to continue to grit my teeth and live through the insults. I will become Hokage. I will prove all these narrow-minded people wrong; I am not like you. Besides abandoning this village for power doesn't give you true power. Just look at Sasuke."

"**_What makes you even think that the council will allow you to become Hokage? After all, don't they have to agree on their next leader?"_**

"The council can't do anything. Tsunade has already given me the 1st Hokage's necklace. She has chosen me as her successor."

"_**You know the council always has the final word. They would probably prefer the Uchiha brat to be Rokudaime."**_

Naruto snorted, but didn't refute what Kyuubi said. It was true. Despite everything Sasuke did, they still preferred him.

-Sasuke sided with Orochimaru and destroyed the west side of Konoha.

--Naruto had taken on Sasuke in a one-to-one fight, critically injured him and forced him to retreat back to Sound, and then helped rebuild the destroyed area.

-Sasuke was captured and dragged back to Konoha where Sakura tearfully hugged him. Two days later, he escaped after killing his two Anbu guards.

--Naruto listened to Sakura cry and beg him to, once again, bring back Sasuke. Naruto left without a word and then came back with the Uchiha a week later.

-Sasuke stayed in Konoha, escaped the usual punishment for traitors (death), had half a year of house arrests, and then went back to supervised D-ranked missions. He was back in everyone's favor.

--Naruto risked his ass several times in B to A ranked missions, fought against Sasuke (the bastard slammed a fucking chidori through his chest!), and helped out the citizens of Konoha.

The council still held the Uchiha in high-esteem. They still wanted to see Naruto's head on a platter.

"I think they actually hate me less now." Naruto mused.

"**_The shinobi perhaps. They respect you. But not the council. They fear you kit. They know with you as Rokudaime, their word will be ignored. They think you will get revenge for how they treated you. Despite how they treat Uchiha, he is nothing but a pawn."_**

"Sasuke would be pissed if he heard that. But I doubt Sasuke would willingly let himself be used." Naruto remembered how Sasuke left for Sound knowing Orochimaru would use his body. "Or maybe he would. But, the older shinobi can stand me now. I've befriended the younger generation. Only the council and townspeople remain stubborn."

"_**You can have all the love of the academy students, genin, chuunin, and jounin. But in the end, to be Rokudaime, you need to have the council's blessing and the people's support. You have neither. You won't be Hokage."**_

"You're wrong, you insufferable fur-ball. I will be Hokage. I'll just continue protecting this village and becoming stronger. They have to crack and acknowledge me soon."

"**_Lets make a wager, kit. If you become Rokudaime, I will give you whatever you want from me. However, if you don't…You will be my puppet. You will do what I say. If I say jump, you jump. If I say dance, you dance. If I say kill, you will kill with no remorse. Do you accept, my little kitling?"_**

Naruto chewed on his lip. Should he agree to this risky gambit? His brain was telling him not to. He could actually be denied the position of Hokage, but he had been named successor by Tsunade. Perhaps not officially, but he had the necklace. It was proof of his right to Rokudaime. But still…

"I agree."

He shouldn't worry. The council can't override Tsunade's decision; she was just too damn scary. He would be Rokudaime. There was no need to worry.

But why did he feel like he just signed a deal with the devil himself?

* * *

Time Skip

* * *

Naruto's face was stony as he walked up to the coffin and placed a single, white rose on it. He was the last to pay his respects to the deceased. The only one who was left was a certain white-eyed man who stood a few feet behind Naruto. 

"Why?"

The question hung unanswered in the air. Neji winced. It was the first time in years he had heard the blond man sound so heart-broken. The last had been 4 years ago, when Naruto was 20. Sakura and Sasuke had been getting married.

"Why the hell did you have to go and face that bastard on your own. You knew you would die. You were a mother to me. You selfish old hag!"

Neji watched Naruto helplessly as the man began to sob for the death of their Godaime. Tsunade had truly loved the boy, but she had no choice but to face Orochimaru to bring peace to the shinobi nations. Neither ninja had survived.

As Naruto continued to weep, Neji stepped directly behind him.

"The council has called a meeting, Naruto. Our presence is required."

He was being cruel and insensitive, but when the council called, it was their duty to answer.

But, when the usually hyper blond was silent, Neji couldn't help but shift uncomfortably at the pain radiating from his friend.

"Naruto…"

"I heard you Neji. Let's go." The reply was hollow and Naruto showed no signs of his previous breakdown. In a swirl of leaves, the two men reappeared in the town hall.

A wrinkled, dignified old man stood on the stage.

"I apologize for the inconvenience of this meeting."

"_No shit. It's right after the funeral." _Neji thought.

"But we have very important announcement concerning the position of Rokudaime. Tsunade-sama has named her successor, but we, the council, have deemed her choice to be unfit of the position. We have the safety of the village as first priority."

He was looking straight at Naruto.

"You mean you're still afraid Naruto will crack and kill us all using the Kyuubi's power? Don't you think he would have done that long ago? Like when he was a weak little kid?" A voice rang out, Inuzuka Kiba's voice to be exact.

The old man continued. "We have nominated Uchiha Sasuke for the position, however, if someone else has a nomination, we will hear it."

All eyes turned to the dark haired Uchiha in the crowd who looked just as surprised as everyone else.

"Oh, I feel so safe. You're putting the village into the hands of the same man who attacked us several times after becoming a traitor and joining the Hidden Sound." This time it was Ino whose loud voice rang through the crowd.

"The council has made its decision. Uzumaki Naruto will not be the next Hokage."

Voices rose up again.

"_I refuse to serve anyone other than Naruto!"_

"_Naruto will be a great Rokudaime!"_

Neji smiled. Naruto's popularity had increased dramatically, even in the civilians. The council, however, were still opposed to him. They wanted someone who would bend easily to their needs. After cowing to the Uchiha, they believed he would'pay them back' for thefavor they showed him.Naruto would probably try to disperse the council and challenge their power.

He looked over at the smaller man next to him. Neji frowned, instead of looking pleased at his support, Naruto was looking down and his clenched fists were shaking.

"Fools." He muttered.

"You have just signed the death warrant of the entire village!" he cried out to the council member. Neji was surprised to see tears gather in his eyes. Naruto knew when to push his emotions to the side, especially during meetings.

The entire assembly looked at the blond man. His sapphire eyes were pained and his shoulders were trembling.

"Naruto," said the quiet voice of his former sensei, Iruka, "what do you mean?"

"The Kyuubi. He and I made a wager. I was so stupid to agree. I don't deserve to be Rokudaime." Naruto had closed his eyes and he sounded pained.

_What was the wager?_

The question remained unasked, but Naruto answered feeling all eyes on him.

"He bet that the council would deny me as the next Rokudaime, I bet they wouldn't. Now, he has complete control of me. You all have to kill me once he takes control-"

The blond seemed to freeze and his kind blue eyes turned cold and hard. Red. Deep, crimson red.

"**_Foolish mortals. Silly, power-hungry foolish mortals. Don't you know what happens when you try to hold onto your power by appointing a pawn instead of someone deserving?" _**

Neji's blood turned to ice. This sing-song voice didn't belong to Naruto. Naruto was loud and happy. This voice was…like flowing honey on shards of glass. Inviting, yet dangerous. The rest of the shinobi froze too while reaching for their weapons.

All eyes were fixed on one man.

The man's eyeswere fixed on the councilman.

"_**People get hurt."**_

* * *

-cackles- Make of whatever you will of the ending. -glances at clock- Holy fudge! Its 3 a.m! 

Anyways, I hope you like the fic, OOCness and all. Sorry if you didn't. I'll eventually improve.

C-Chan: Hurry up and sleep so you aren't whiney tomorrow. You're even more annoying when you have a few hours of sleep.

Forget sleep! I'm getting a new muse. You're too mean! -walks off- G'night readers!


End file.
